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water other black tea kosher salt sugar Creole spice mix chickens buttermilk hot sauce eggs flour cornmeal cornstarch pork lard
Viewed: 21 - Published at: 6 years agoIngredients
- 8 cups water
- 10 bags English Breakfast or other black tea
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 cup JG Creole Spice Mix
- Two 3 1/2-pound whole chickens, cut into 8 pieces each
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce, such as Crystal or Tabasco
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups fine cornmeal
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- Rendered pork lard or canola oil, for frying
Method
- In a large saucepan, combine the water with the tea bags, salt, sugar and 2 tablespoons of the Creole spice mix.
- Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar; let steep for 10 minutes.
- Discard the tea bags and let the brine cool completely.
- Submerge the chicken in the brine, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
- In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the hot sauce, eggs and 2 tablespoons of the Creole spice mix.
- Drain the chicken, discarding the brine.
- Add the chicken to the buttermilk mixture, turning to coat completely.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 250.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with wax paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the cornmeal, cornstarch and remaining 1/2 cup of Creole spice mix.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip back into the bowl.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- In a large, heavy saucepan, heat 1 1/2 inches of lard to 350.
- Set a rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Add half of the coated chicken to the lard and fry at 300, turning occasionally, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of each piece registers 155, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Transfer the fried chicken to the rack and keep warm in the oven while you fry the second batch.
